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| Simple small changes CAN have a big impact! Photo by: newdirectionsconsulting.com |
When you embark on a new mission or journey it's easiest to stick with it in the "newness" of the change. The first couple of days or even weeks tend to be the easiest as you are revved up on momentum and excitement. Sticking with the change can often be the most trying.
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| A life of abundance is available to us all! Photo by: vafoodbanks.org |
I, myself, have been transitioning to raw veganism for some time and consider it a very personal journey.
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| Where are you on this continuum? Having patience with yourself is the best thing you can do. Photo by: www.mycvandme.co.uk |
But not to F.E.A.R.! There are a myriad of ways to go about "transitioning." We are all in a period of change and movement in our lives in other areas, and it's totally okay to be a bit transitory in nature when it comes to our food choices and lifestyle habits.
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| Homemade Cashew milk..YUMM! Photo by: creativebioscience.com |
I first started by eliminating all dairy products from my diet. I didn't really eat much dairy any way and so removing, cow's milk, eggs, cheese and yoghurt was the first step. For a while I still ate yoghurt sparingly and some eggs as I didn't feel the need to remove them from my diet just yet. Most of the time I only ate yoghurt in smoothies anyway and so I just replaced those with fresh juice/fruit only smoothies occasionally incorporating a coconut or nut milk of sorts. Also, I was very surprised to find out how many OTHER ways I could get calcium into my diet!
Biggest thing I have learned: *When it comes to life changes and challenges, you really have to go at your own pace.*
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| Lunch: toast, balck beans, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, mashed avocado, delish! Photo by: goodveg.squidoo.com |
Next I moved to removing chicken from my diet (I had eliminated beef a few years prior after researching how tough digestion is of most cooked beef products for the body and had stopped eating pork at a very young age as I always seemed to get sick after eating it (pork chops, hot dogs...). So I simply ate fish instead for a while and began experimenting with alternative "protein" sources.
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| Black beans, salsa, bean spread, avocado, collard greens! Photo by: melomeals.blogspot.com |
I started making vegan chili (3-bean chili ect...), veggie burgers with sweet potatoes and chickpeas, eating black bean hummus, edamame and so on. I realized after researching that many of the main stream forms of protein that we have been led to believe are absolute and MUST be included in our diets (ie cooked animal meats) are often also some of the most difficult for our bodies to break down.
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| Beans and lentils! Kidney beans, garbanzo beans, white, black, pinto beans, lentils, edamame and the list goes on! Photo by: abcnews.go.com |
Isn't the whole point of eating to fuel our body machines? Well, of course! If you don't eat (common argument), then you will eventually die! The truth is that without nutrients and water, our cells cannot repair, rebuild and rejuvenate. If our cells cannot rebuild as they are destroyed by the natural processes of living our bodies could simply not sustain life for very long.
| The inside of your body and the path to digestion. Cool! |
Long story short, I started researching more about the digestion process in the body and how to best maximize the absorption of nutrients in the body. I am still researching and learning more about myself and my body each and every day!
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| Love yourself wherever you are on your path! Photo by: womenshealthency.com |
This journey for me has been so exciting! Difficult at times (family opinions, availability, discipline, support, time management and straight laziness have been barriers)...but life is such a beautiful journey and I am learning to love myself and give love to others everyday!
Have patience with yourself and you will always be in good company!
Live. Love. Life.
~h
